Canon Powershot Vs Sony Cybershot

Does anyone know how, in general, Canon cameras compare with Sony cameras?
What about, specifically, Canon Powershot compared with Sony Cybershot for digital bridge cameras?

In particular, I'm comparing PowerShot SX110 and Cybershot DSCH10 which have the same RRP in my country.
PowerShot SX110 has 9 megapixels while Cybershot DSCH10 only has 8.1.
PowerShot SX110 uses AA batteries while Cybershot DSCH10 uses a non-standard rechargeable Lithium ion battery.
Both have 10x optical zoom.

If one camera uses standard AA batteries and is advertised to be able to take ~140 photos after a full recharge, while another camera uses a non-standard rechargeable Lithium ion battery and is advertised to be able to take ~310 photos after a full recharge, which one is more practical? Even if you take along an extra pair of AA batteries for the first case, you'd still only be able to get ~280 photos - but then again, non-standard batteries often have degraded battery life after a few years... or is that more to do with the battery placeholder thing as opposed to the battery itself?

Furthermore, I've heard that megapixels don't make much of a difference after 7 megapixels or so. Is 9.0 megapixels substantially better than 8.1 megapixels?

This post has been edited by HyBriD54: Nov 22 2008, 12:42 AM

Wow i couldnt believe i missed this thread totally.

Lets put it in the simple way. Your rechargeable battery run out and you need a quick fix on batteries. Which is more convenient? AA is the answer. But this small battery could only last for a day of full shooting with the use of build-in flash compared to the non-standard Lithium ion battery which it can last up to 2.5 full days of shooting with the use of build-in flash. (I have done the test but i misplaced the log of each battery performance.) And yes, non-standard batteries then to have degraded life.

Whats advertised did not take flash usage into account and the statistic is based on average usage data. So, before i forget, the higher the megapixels, the more the battery consumption is. 9 and 8.1mp isnt huge difference if you are doing candid / family shooting.

So to conclude my reply, i would say go for SX110. Why? 1. Battery convenience 2. megapixels is just a number for the highest best quality. You have the option to set the image quality and size at your will. The higher mp option you have the happier user you are.

Lithium Batteries for the Powershot SX110
Canon Powershot Vs Sony Cybershot

I like the review. I have a question. My wife bought me a Canon Powershot SX100. I can't believe how good the pictures are, even on zoom. I tried new AA standard batteries, and man, the camera ate them up. I can't be a slave to the battery companys! I see I can go to nickle H. I think I have it right, but better, can I use, or get Lithium Ion rechargable for this camera? Please let me know. I just want to get the best battery that wil last the longest in this camera.

Thanks in advance.. Richard...

Canon powershot is better from my point of view, why? does not even matter right of the shelf but on cannon u can use the chdk software witch is an open source add-on for canon cameras.
With CHDK u have lots and lots of options like compression for movies, zoom while filming on cameras that can't, bracketing, real DOF indicator and a lot of indicators , also u can run scripts on your camera, like motion detection and u can catch lightning with that feature cause it's very very fast, RAW for cameras that don't have it, live histogram and zebra for over and under exposure, with the bracketing function u can create pictures with infinite depth of field, and a lot of other functions.
More info and download here

7-8 megapixels is more than sufficient unless you like to crop your images a lot, you print at very large sizes or you are a pro. You wont see much of a difference between 8.1 and 9 mp.


Actually you lose image quality especially for low light shooting (high ISO) when the number of megapixels is increased without increasing the physical sensor size. The megapixel wars are not good for the consumer in the compact camera segment (DSLRs are a different story).

BTW, I would choose the canon, simply because Sony's propietary lock-in formats make me extremely uncomfortable. I think all the sony compact cameras use memory stick, while the canons use the cheaper and larger capacity SDHC cards.